Well i dont pay for it..stop nit picking..

The same in Italy,where I live. Howwever these are not 'extra payments'. The UK state pension is paid on a weekly basis i.e. 52 weekly payments over the course of a year; even if actually cashed in mo nthly. My Italian pension is paid monthly i.e. every 4th. of the month. Therefore those months that are over 28 days, every month of the year except February, 'owe' me another 28 days or 4 weeks at the end of the year; so this is made good with an extra 2 weeks pension at Easter and 2 weeks at Christmas. Often this is changed to simply an extra months pension at Christmas. This is known here as tredicesima, and comes in very handy. But it is not a present from the govenment, it is quite simply making up the short change for the rest of the year. The same thing is also applied to monthly salaries.
'luego,
'o nonno

Im away for a swim.. See you all later..

That is true, on tv at lunchtime Daily Politics the general view from a number of contributors was that all parties by the next election will have the vote on Europe in their manfesto. I wonder if that is the case will politicians suddenly show an intrest in European expats ?

The benefits system isn't some kind of building society account/savings scheme.

At the time folk paid in they were covered and others in need were covered, including yourself if you were unfortunate enough to need benefits/welfare at that time, or didn't you and yours go to the GP or hospital in the 40 years you paid in ?

Things change Governments have different priorities, benefit systems need to reflect the needs of society at a given time. Paying WFA outside of the UK is madness. It was the only benefit change in the budget where both parties cheered and the roof nearly came off the House. If the UK gov decide to change the benefits system so be it, that's what they are elected to do.

At least those who receive it in the UK are spending it in the UK, along with their state old age pension etc which is more than can be said of an ex-pat propping up the Spanish economy with it.

You do have to apply for it, when I sorted out my pension after Graham died I was told that it would come through automatically as Graham had previously received it. However, it did not arrive so I contacted the office to enquire as to whether or not I was elligible and was told that I had to complete an application form.

Rosemary

So should those who spend the winter months in a warmer climate, spending their WFA and state pension wherever that may be, only receive half?

People will be advocating exchange controls next, like the days when you could only take about £20 spending money for a 2 week holiday (or whatever the limit was). Is the British economy really in that bad a state that people want to "imprison" others' money to stop them spending it wherever they like? I'm more used to hearing the Labour Party described as a nanny state telling people what they can and can't do, it's quite a novelty hearing it from Tory and UKIP supporters.

I think it should be for residents in the UK only.

The same as child benefit, why should the taxpayer be supporting people abroad.

Its all a farce, if the changes come in all those " so honest " expats will suddenly have a "UK address ".
It will probably be in Aunties spare room which she has let to them to avoid the bedroom tax.
One thing you can rely on is that some/many will find a way to fiddle as much as they can.

I would not disagree with most of what you say. Surely though if someone has worked and earned their pension it is up to them how they spend that pension. I thought that the EU was about one big Europe with freedom of movement which includes retiring if one wishes. What you propose sounds like a throwback to the Soviet Union. Live and let live is my view.

Cost of UK's overseas aid budget - £11.3 billion for 2013.
Cost of paying WFA to British expats within the EU in 2012/13 - £13 million.

According to what IDS has said about the restrictions he wants to impose on paying WFA to those living abroad in future, people resident in the UK for 183 days per year will still be eligible to receive it (and so will those in locations which pass the "temperature test"). So, those pensioners wealthy enough to afford two homes, one in the UK where they spend the warmer months when assistance with heating bills is not needed, will still receive it. Those pensioners who can only afford one home, elsewhere in the EU, will not. That is not my idea of fairness.

They need the money for the new free school meals that they have coming soon..

Daniel Hannan ‏
Welfare is all about taking people's money quietly and then returning a portion loudly.

Fair dos on how they spend their pension, that's up to them.

WFA is a different thing altogether. Ex pats have got to share some of the blame for this, the number of posts that have appeared on ex-pat forums in the last decade or so about the stupid uk government and peoples paying for their total annual fuel bill and then some.

Fuel bills haven't been high all the time expats have had the WFA, only latterly, for many years it was seen as 'beer money' and for a load probably still is.

Quite frankly I would prefer it to go on the oversees aid budget than San Miguel or Rioja or the 'I've paid in so I'm entitled expat brigade' - we had our bite of the NI cherry or the opportunity of it during the years of paying in.

Can't really see an analogy with Communist Russia in what I am saying but there you go, shows the confusion the written word can bring with it I guess.

Yes valid points. My point re Soviet Union was a skit re freedom to do as one pleases within the law of course.